PEACEMAKER - ROMANS 12:18

Christian Standard Bible (Chapter 12)

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. 10 Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another. 11 Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit;, serve the Lord. 12 Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. 13 Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. 17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. 18 If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19 Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord. 20 But If your enemy is hungry, feed him.If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head., 21 Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.

BIG IDEA: BELIEVERS MUST FIGHT FOR PEACE.

WHAT THEY SAID WAS UNTRUE.

WHAT THEY DID WAS WRONG.

IT WAS DONE WITH MALICE.

IT WAS DONE TO INJURE.

EVERYONE IN HERE HAS HAD IT HAPPEN.

SOMEONE SAYS SOMETHING, DOES SOMETHING OR ATTEMPTS SOMETHING TO CAUSE YOU INJURY...

IT WAS INTENTIONAL…NOT ACCIDENTAL OR COINCIDENTAL! ((INTENTIONAL))!

AND THEN, WE AS BELIEVERS, ARE LEFT WITH HOW TO RESPOND...

SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE WORLD ARE WINNING IN THIS ARENA, AND THEY ARE ENCOURAGING A “FIGHT-BACK” MENTALITY...

UH HA, TRY JESUS. NOT ME. CAUSE I THROW HANDS… (I LOVE THAT DUDE)...

BELOVED THIS SOUNDS RIGHT. IT SOUNDS FAIR...

AND THIS IS WHY WE MUST LIVE BASED UPON SCRIPTURE - THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD, AND NOT THE WISDOM OF THE WORLD!

YES, TODAY’S MESSAGE ENTITLED PEACEMAKERS IS A REMINDER....THAT BELIEVERS MUST FIGHT ((BUT WE MUST FIGHT)) FOR PEACE...

LOOK AT YOUR NEIGHBOR AND SAY, “FIGHT FOR IT!”

ROMANS 12: 9-21 IS WRITTEN LIKE THE BOOK OF PROVERBS…(LISTS OF INSTRUCTIONS THAT ARE SEEMINGLY DISCONNECTED IN SUBJECT).

VS. 9-13 IS WRITTEN TO INSTRUCT OUR LOVE TOWARDS BELIEVERS...

VS. 14-21 IS WRITTEN TO INSTRUCT OUR LOVE TOWARDS EVERYONE… (THE WORLD AND NEM)!

TODAY’S VERSE IS COUCHED WITHIN THE TENSION OF LOVING EVERYONE AND LIVING AT PEACE WITH EVERYONE - CHRISTIANS AND NON-CHRISTIANS!

UGH...

CHURCH FOLK AND CO-WORKERS...

FAMILY AND FRIENDS...

SOULMATES AND CLASSMATES...

EVERYONE, YALL!!!

PAUL WROTE THIS REMINDER ABOUT LOVE, BECAUSE, AS WEIRSBE STATES: Love is the circulatory system of the spiritual body, which enables all the members to function in a healthy, harmonious way.

FRIENDS, IF WE AIN’T LOVING FOLK, WE’LL BE LOSING FOLK...

WATCH THIS: LOVE MUST BE BOTH REAL AND DEEP! (GET THAT DOWN).

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. 10 Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Take the lead in honoring one another.

IF WE AIN’T LOVING FOLK, WE’LL BE LOSING FOLK…

LOVING PEOPLE IS AN OUTWORKING OF OUR SALVATION…WE LOVE BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US...

WE LOVE BASED UPON HIS LOVE FOR US...

WE LOVE TO DEMONSTRATE TO OTHERS THAT LOVE IS POSSIBLE...

LOVE TAKES WORK IN THE SAME MANNER THAT PEACEMAKING TAKES WORK...

Christian Standard Bible (Chapter 4)

1 john 4: 10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice, for our sins. 11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.

LOVE, LACK OF

A MAN and his friend were playing golf one day, and one of the guys was getting ready to make his chip shot. As he prepared to stroke the ball on the green, he saw a long funeral procession on the road next to the golf course. The man took off his golf cap, got on his knees, and bowed his head to pray. His friend said, “Wow! That is the most thoughtful and touching thing I have ever seen. I can’t believe how great it was for you to stop your golf swing because of a funeral procession passing by. What thoughtfulness!” The man replied, “Yeah, well, we were married for thirty-five years. I figured that was the least I could do.” That’s what a lot of us do, give a nod to God, as we continue on with business as usual. First love is more than functional love. It’s fiery love.

REAL LOVE, YALL!

SAYING, “I LOVE YOU,” IS A GOOD PLACE TO START, BUT A BAD PLACE TO STOP...

PAUL SAYS TO THE BELIEVERS AT CORINTH: YOU CAN PREACH, SPEAK OR PROPHECY - YOU CAN SING, PLAY INSTRUMENTS OR EVEN SACRIFICE - BUT IF YOU DO NOT HAVE LOVE, THEN ALL YOU HAVE EVER DONE IS WORTHLESS!!!

CATCH THIS: THE CONCEPT OF PEACEMAKING IS FOREIGN TO MANY OF US, BECAUSE THE CONCEPT OF LOVE IS FOREIGN TO MANY OF US!

1 john 4: 10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice, for our sins. 11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.

LOVE MUST BE (BOTH) REAL & DEEP!

REAL LOVE DOESN’T STOP CAUSE SOMEONE MADE YOU ANGRY.

REAL LOVE DOESN’T STOP CAUSE YOU DISAGREE WITH SOMEONE…

MANY OF OUR LOVES ARE FACADES…FONY…FAKE! NOT LOVE!

PAUL CONTINUES TO WALK US THROUGH THIS PROVERBS SOUNDING - SERMON ON THE MOUNTAINISH PASSAGE, CHALLENGING US TO SERVE WITH ENTHUSIASM, TO REJOICE IN ALL THINGS, TO PRAY PERSISTENTLY BY BEING HOSPITABLE.

GREAT POWER PRINCIPLES...

THEN BOOM: BLESS THOSE WHO PERSECUTE YOU - BLESS AND DO NOT CURSE!

WAIT LORD, THEY’RE PERSECUTING ME, AND I CAN’T EVEN CUSS.....

THIS IS HOW LOVE IS MANIFESTED IN OUR LIVES…NOT BY HOW WE TREAT THOSE WHO ARE GOOD TO US. BUT BY HOW WE TREAT THOSE WHO ARE BAD TO US!

18 If possible, as far as it depends on you,

BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF (ACTIONS & REACTIONS)!

WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR OTHER FOLKS ACTIONS.

BUT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE WHEN WE TRY TO MANIPULATE OTHER FOLKS.

BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF!

YOU CAN ONLY DO WHAT YOU CAN DO...

DO YOUR ABSOLUTE BEST.

PRIDE MAKES US WANT TO DO SOMETHING: HOW DARE THEY DO THIS TO ME. (((DO NOT BE PROUD))).

WHY ARE WE ABOVE BEING DONE WRONG? JESUS WAS DONE WRONG…BEING DONE WRONG PLACES US IN GOOD COMPANY.

NO REVENGE.

NO REPAY.

NO RETALIATION.

BELOVED, REVENGE IS NOT SELF-DEFENSE. IF SOMEONE POSES AN IMMINENT THREAT TO YOUR PERSON, YOU ARE WITHIN YOUR RIGHTS (BIBLICALLY & LEGALLY) TO DEFEND YOURSELF…THAT’S SELF-DEFENSE.

REVENGE, ON THE OTHER HAND, COMES BACK DAYS, WEEKS, MONTHS LATER - WITH INTENT TO DO HARM - TO GET BACK - TO GET EVEN...

AND THIS IS THE LIE OF THE WORLD: REVENGE NEVER GETS US EVEN...

REVENGE ONLY GETS US GUILT.

WALK IN HUMILITY. (YOU’RE NOT ABOVE MISTREATMENT. REMEMBER JESUS).

live at peace with everyone.

BE ACCOUNTABLE TO OTHERS.

RELEASE THEM TO THE LORD.

PRAY FOR THEM.

IF THE SITUATION ARISES, SERVE THEM.

STAND ON THE AUTHORITY (OF GOD’S WORD).

TWO FRIENDS WERE AT ODDS….FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME…

ONE NEW YEAR’S EVEN THEY FOUND THEMSELVES AT THE SAME PARTY…

A MUTUAL FRIEND ENCOURAGED ONE TO GO OVER AND BE RECONCILED…

“YOU MUST.” HE DEMANDED. “IT IS VERY UNKIND TO BE UNFRIENDLY AT SUCH A TIME. GO OVER NOW AND WISH HIM A HAPPY NEW YEAR.”

THE MAN GOT UP WALKED OVER TO HIS ENEMY AND SAID, “I WISH YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR….BUT ONLY ONE!”